Travel News

Venice bar helping out US tourists

A bar in Venice that is famous for its American patrons of the past is helping out its modern visitors from the US by offering discounts on meals.

Harry's Bar, near St Mark's Square in the famous Italian city, was known to be a popular haunt of filmmaker Orson Welles, writer Truman Capote and, most famously, Ernest Hemingway.

The classy restaurant and bar is now offering a 20 per cent discount to its American visitors following the economic troubles the country has experienced and in light of the weakness of the dollar against the euro.

A sign outside the establishment reads: "Harry's Bar of Venice, in an effort to make the American victims of subprime loans happier, has decided to give them a special 20 per cent discount on all the items of the menu during the short term of their recovery."

Arrigo Cipriani, proprietor of the bar, said the promotion was intended to appeal to the American sense of humour and claimed that the visitors who have taken advantage of the offer so far have been "very happy".

He also explained that solid proof of nationality is not necessary, saying: "All we need to hear is their accent."

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